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Rectors of Chadwell St Mary

The following are some of the Rectors who have held the incumbancy of the Parish of Chadwell St Mary , in the Diocese of Chelmsford, it is not a complete record but a selection of Rectors of Chadwell St Mary.

The first known Rector recorded at the present time was in 1337 and that was John de Rokeswell. There is then a gap of 225 years until 1562 when the next recorded Rector was Thomas Walker who was the Rector until 1568.

In 1735 John Herringham became the first of the family of Herringhams who occupied the incumbancy until 1859 with William Walter Herringham being the last of the line of the Herringham family. During the period when the Herringhams were Rectors of Chadwell they were also Rectors of Borley in the North East of Essex, so a son was installed as a Curate in Chadwell. There is in the church in Chadwell a plaque to William Walter Herringham and also in the church at Borley.

Other Rectors of note are Edward Carlile Smith who was Rector for 46 years, from 1897 to 1943, and Edward Digby who was the Rector for 43 years from 1692 to 1735, when the Herringhams took over the incumbancy.

In more recent changes have taken place in the churches, Rev. Allan Sirman (1965 – 1975) was responsible for the building of Emmanuel Church in the northern end of the parish. The refurbishment of St Marys Church was undertaken under the guidance of Rev’d Frank Allred (1975 – 1983).

The present Rector is Michael Roy Walton who was appointed the Rector in 2012 making him the 64th Rector of Chadwell St Mary.